Foot-control pedal



C. VOGT.

FOOT CONTROL PEDAL- APPLICATION FILED FEB. 11,1921l INVENTOR:

WITNESSES:

6Q .BY L rena Voy W r momma PATENT CLARENCE VOGTfOF *WENONAH, 'NEYV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO VOG'l BROS. & SQUIER COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

FOOT-CONTROL PEDAL.

Application filed Februaryll, 1921. Serial 'N'o. 444,104.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, CLARENCE Voc'r, a citizen of the United States, residing in lVenonah, in the county of Gloucester and State of New-Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Foot-Corr trol Pedals, whereof the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relatesgenerally to footcontrol pedals, and more particularly" to the class of pedals used on automobiles'for actuating muffler cut-outs or similar appurtenances.

One object of my invention is to embody in a pedal structure of the class referred to, utmost simplicity. both as to construction and operation so that it maybe cheaply manufactured and free from liability to derangement when in use.

A further object of my inventionis to render the pedal structure capable of universal adaptation to any of the various types or 'makes of cut-outs nowon the market without necessitating any changes whatever in any of its constituentyparts other than that of mere adjustment.

Other objects and advantages of my invention willbecome apparent from the detailed description which follows:

In the drawings, Fig. I is a side elevation of a'pedal structure conveniently embodying my invention.

Fig. II is a vertical section of the same viewed in the direction of the arrows 11-} II in Fig. I.-

F III is a perspective illustration-of the mounting bracket element of the pedal structure.

Fig. IV shows in isolation, one of the die stamped arms of the fulcrum bracket element; and

Fig. V is a view in perspective showing the one of the elements of the pedal struo ture in the form of a bell crank lever.

The organization, as herein represented, comprises a mounting bracket-element comprehensively indicated atl, a lever 2 which is fulcrumed to said bracket element, and an actuating treadle element 3 in turn operatively connected with said lever. 'The mounting bracket element 1 is made steeh and its base'plate oi -is'in' theform of Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2,1922.

an'elongated die stamping, rounded at its ends, and appropriately dished as shown to lend the necessary rigidity. Coincident with the centres of curvature of its rounded ends, the base plate is apertured and countersunkas indicated at 6-6 for the accommo dation of screws or other attachment devices by which the bracket element may be secured to the underside of the foot board of an automobile in close proximity to the muffler cut-out or other appurtenance which isto be controlled. At a point near its right-hand end, (considered with respect to the positioning of the bracket'in the illustrations), the plate 5 is pierced by two narrow slots 7-7 which extend parallel to one another and arerespectively symmetrically disposed at opposite sides of the longi-.

tudinal median line of the plate. These slots are adapted to receive anchorage tabs or lugs 8 of the fulcrum arms 9 shown in perspective in Fig. IV. These arms, like the base plate'5, are in'the form of dished die stampings of sheet metal, and'have their side edges slightly divergent as clearly shown. The lugs or tabs 8 are sufliciently narrower-in breadth than the arms proper so as to afford substantial shoulders 10'10, whose top faces, by reason of the dished contour of the arms, take a right angled configuration. From this construction, it will be apparent that when the arms 9 are permanently secured to the base plate 5 by upsetting the projecting portions of the tabs 8 as suggested'in Fig. III, the shoulders 10-10 coact to'buttress the arms,.thus rendering them capable of opposing any lateral strains which theymay be called upon to resist in the operation of the treadle 3. When the mounting bracket element is assembled as shown,'it willbe noted that the fulcrum arms '9'9 are arranged back to back'but separated by an interval llof such width as to accommodate the'lever 2 with just sufficient leeway to permit its readymovement. At a point 'nearits forward end, the base plate 5 has a centrally located, longitudinally disposed slot 12, which is *servicable in guiding the movement's *or the treadle element 3 ina manner which will e explained in greater detail later herein.

Coming now tothe-lever 2,it will be observed, more particularly from the perspective illustration of Fig. V, to be con- Cir structed of a single piece of sheet metal suitably confi ured initially, to produce, when bent about an axis of symmetry, form such as shown. The lever 2 resembles, in gen eral appearance, a bell crank one of whose arms takes the shape of a sector 15 which is pierced with a series of apertures 1616 arranged in an arc concentric with the fulcrum aperture 17. The longer arm 18 of the lever is pierced by a number of apertures 19 disposed preferably in zigzagged fashion for a purpose which will be presently explained. The two counterpart side plates of the element are spaced apart as shown, and the apertures above referred to are really composite in that they extend through both of said plates.

The treadle element, although not separately detailed, is clearly shown in assemblage in Figs. I and lil[. It consists simply of a metallic bar 20 of rectangular cross section whose lower or pivot end 21 is rounded as shown, and which has attached to its top a convexed disk head 22. This head is by preference stamped from stout sheet metal and appropriately corrugated to resist slippage when engaged by the foot. The head 22 is secured to the bar 20 in a manner similar to that described in connection with the attachment of the fulcrum arms of the bracket element 1. Accordingly, the top end of the bar 20 is shouldered at at 28--23 (Fig. l) and incidentally formed with a projecting tongue or tab 25, which is inserted through a central slot in the head 22 and upset as clearly shown in said figure. The bar 20 is notched at one side as indicated at 26 for cooperation with the bottom face of the base plate when the treadle is to be locked to keep the valve of the associated cut-out in open position in a manner well understood with regard to such devices.

lln pivotally connecting the various movable parts of the structure, I use by preference, split cotter pins 27 of the type clearly shown in the assemblies. A link 28, by which the pedal structure is adapted to be coordinated with the muffler cut-out or other 'device which is to be operated, may be connected at any of the several apertures 19 in the free end 18 of the element 2 according to the extent of movement required to actuate the cut-out, while the end 21 of the bar 20 of the pedal element 3 may be connected with anyone of the circle of apertures 16 compensatively in accordance with the adjustment of the link. In this way, it will be apparent that the pedal structure be universally adapted to any of the various standard types of cut-outs regardless of difierences in motion required for their operation. Such adjustments may obviously be made without necessitating actual disassembling or dis-aligning of the movable parts. i l i From the characteristic construction and assemblage of my invention, as above set forth, it is to be particularly noted that the several moving parts are all aligned in a common plane, sothat the force required in operation is transmitted through them to the exclusion of the creation of any lateral or side thrust. l/Vhile l have shown and described my invention as being more particu larly adapted for use in connection with muffler cut-outs, I do not wish to be so limited since it may be applied with equal advantages for operating any other devices or appurtenances.

Having thus described my invention, ll claim:

1. A pedal structure of the character described comprising in combination a m0unting bracket; and a bell crank lever fulcrumed to said bracket, said lever being formed of a single piece of sheet metal bent about an axis of symmetry with provision for an interspace between the two coincident sides thus produced, so as to be capable of receiv ing at its extremities between said sides, the ends, respectively, of a treadle element, and a connecting link coordinated with the device which is to be operated.

2. A pedal structure of the character de scribed comprising in combination a mounting bracket; and a bell crank lever fulcrumed to the bracket, said lever having one of its extremities provided lengthwise thereof with a series of spaced apertures for selective pivotal attachment of a connecting link coordinated with the device which is to be operated, and its other end provided, in an arc concentric with the fulcrum axis, with a series of apertures for permitting selectivity in the pivotal attachment of an actuating treadle compensatively in accordance with the adjustment of said link.

3. A pedal structure of the character described including a mounting bracket com prising a base plate in the form of an elongated, round ended, dished, sheet metal die stamping, and a pair of fulcrum arms likewise in the form of dished die stampings, suitably shouldered and provided with extension tabs adapted to be inserted through slots in the base plate and headed over to effect permanent attachment of the arms in spaced relation to said plate; in combination with a lever pivoted between the fulcrum arms about a pin engaged through co-axially aligned apertures in the ends of said arms.

4:. A pedal structure of the character described including a mounting bracket comprising a base plate and a pair of perpendicularly extending, spaced, fulcrum arms; in combination with a bell crank lever adapted to be pivoted between the ends of said fulcrum arms, said lever being formed of a single piece of sheet metalbent about an axis of symmetry wi h p v n Of all, inter space between the coincident sides thus produced; a headed actuating treadle element having its end engaged with one of the arms of the bell crank lever Within the interspace between its folded sides; and a connecting link similarly connected to the other arm of said bell crank lever.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this 2nd day of February, 1921.

CLARENCE VOGT.

Witnesses:

WALTER A, S UIER, JOHN H. Voe'r. 

